plants) with imported seed and by sowing the seed thick, has 

 been tried with success in Tirhoot and elsewhere, and the expe- 

 riment is worth repeating. The growing of white linseed,- the 

 oil of which is more valuable than that of the ordinary brown 

 linseed, is another improvement which should not be lost; 

 sight of. White linseed grows quite as well as brown linseed 

 at the Sibpur Farm. 4 



367. The total area under linseed in Bengal is estimated 

 at 742,000 acres only or n.5 per cent, of the total '-cultivated 

 area of the province. Champaran with 190,000 acres under 

 this crop representing nearly 9^ per cent, of the total cultivat- 

 ed area of the district, is the most important linseed-growing 

 district in Bengal. Nadia comes next with 42,000 acres, or 

 nearly 4 per cent, of the cultivated area of the district. Gaya, 

 Murshidabad, Palamau, Backergunge, Darbhanga, Mymen- 

 singh, and Burdwan may be also mentioned as each having 

 more than 25,000 acres under this crop. 



368. Linseed grows well oh heavy land, and it is npt 

 suitable for light and raviny soils, which are particularly 

 well adapted for mustard and til crops. In fact, linseed can 

 be grown on Aman land which is unsuitable for til and mus- 

 tard crops. In rocky sub-Himalayan tracts, however, linseed 

 does very well. Wheat, gram and linseed require the same 

 kind of land. Gram and linseed are usually grown together, 

 gram doing well also on heavy loam, if it is fairly rich iri lime. 

 The sowing of linseed should be done early, and preparations 

 may commence in September when the rains are still on, actual 

 sowing being done immediately after or even before the 

 monsoon is over, at the rate of 4 to 6 seers per acre. Sowing 

 is sometimes done when the Aman rice is still standing. 

 Water-logging does not do this crop so much harm , but thorough 

 and deep cultivation is essential for this crop as for wheat. 

 The seed may be scattered in between the lines of paddy and 

 simply ploughed in. Sown later, linseed needs irrigation, but 

 when the crop is in flower or nearly mature, rainfall does harm. 



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